Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. We are constantly hearing from businesses, farmers and industries that they can't get workers. In the meantime, almost 950,000 people are collecting unemployment benefits. Something has to give, and the answer is not higher immigration, which will only put a greater burden on our hospitals, doctors, schools, nursing homes, roads and infrastructure, and, especially, housing. How do you intend to address this crippling shortage of workers?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson for the question. She is right that labour shortages and skills shortages are identified by the private sector and business leaders as being a handbrake on the economy and on the profitability of many businesses. We know that from the data. We also know that from talking to small and medium enterprises as well as business leaders. Obviously, there is no quick fix to this. Firstly, what the government can do is implement its policies, which include establishing fee-free TAFE places in areas of skills shortages, and additional university places, to try to ensure we give Australians the skills that are needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is a very important part of our investment in people.

The senator raised migration. The view the Labor government takes is that you have to address labour shortages through a balanced approached, which includes efforts to train and upskill Australian workers but which also recognises that there is a place for migration, whether that's through permanent or other forms of migration. From Labor's perspective, we don't want to see a situation where, as it was under the previous government, migration is used as a stopgap, as a fill-in or a way of dealing with a skills shortage which in great part arose because there was a failure to properly fund and support Australians to get the skills that are required. Equally, we're the Labor Party and we don't want workers being exploited. You might recall that in the previous parliament there was quite a lot of focus on the exploitation of migrant workers, particularly in the agricultural and other areas. My answer is a balanced approach. Obviously, our priority is to invest in the skills— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, a first supplementary question.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Actually, Minister, I do have a quick fix for you. With thousands of people having been on long-term unemployment benefits for decades, even passing it on as a family tradition, will you move legislation to ensure that no-one can receive unlimited dole payments for more than two years out of five if they are capable of doing a day's work?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hanson. Obviously, I am sure the minister representing the Minister for Social Services, or for Employment and Workplace Relations, might be able provide a more detailed answer on mutual obligation. Both parties of government at different times have had different approaches, but have had obligations and frameworks in relation to receipt of social security benefits. That is obviously an approach which is taken, bearing in mind the need to be sensible, balanced and responsible through that.

I would make the point that, actually, at the moment, we do have a participation rate that is quite high. The participation rate is at 66.8 per cent and the employment-to-population ratio is at 64.4 per cent. So, actually, there are a great many Australians who are participating in the economy and participating in the labour market.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, a second supplementary question.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is why I have asked the question of the Prime Minister. In the lead-up to the election he said that he had answers for these problems with the Australian people. This is why I want a direct answer from the Prime Minister with regard to this, through you.

We have a vast, untapped workforce of older Australians on the age pension who are more than willing to work to supplement their income in these difficult times. Will you legislate for age pensioners to be able to take on more work without penalty to their benefits, and give independent retirees, who are no burden on the taxpayer, the same opportunities to fill our critical work shortages?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hanson. I'll answer what I can and I'll ensure that if there is more information that can be provided to you that it is provided to you. I was a member of a government previously which put in place the work bonus in 2009 for precisely the reasons that you've outlined—that there were people who wanted to do more work without it affecting their pension. Obviously, there was a disincentive—just as there is in relation to child care, but that's a slightly different issue—for pensioners to work if it's going to affect their income. So when last in government we did introduce measures which enabled people to earn more before their pension was affected.

I think that, obviously, the Jobs and Skills Summit, which the—

Well, actually having people talk to each other sometimes isn't a bad idea! I know that seems unusual, but— (Time expired)